Wednesday, March 11, 2015

What is the average human penis size?

Almost every guy has wondered at least once in his lifetime what the average human penis size is. And of course, where his penis stands (whether erect or flaccid) compared to the rest of the world.

If we were to take male pornstars as our sample than we would get an average erect size of at least 7 or even 8 inches.. Like other things in life, penis length and girth has become obscured by pornography and media in general.

However, if we want to get an answer that is closer to reality than all we have to do is take a look over the published medical literature. There are many scientific papers which have tried to give an answer to the "how big is the average penis" question.

Interestingly, most of these studies address two topics. The first one is as expected human penis size. The second is the fact that most men have an anxiety about the importance of penis size, whether they are big enough to satisfy women etc.
So what is the truth about the size of the male organ?

Fast Facts
I know most people hate reading large walls of text. So I will first begin with some quick facts. More supporting data are included later in the article:

About 85% of women are satisfied with the size of their partner's penis. On the other hand, about 45% of men believe they have a small and inadequate penis

Studies give an average flaccid length ranging from 7 to 10 cm (2.8-3.9 inches) and a flaccid circumference ranging from 9 to 10 cm (3.5 to 3.9 in.)

The average erect length is 12 to 16 centimeters (4.3 to 6.3 in.)

A study on average erect circumference gave a number close to 12 centimeters (4.7 in.)

Studies On Penis Size

While there's some variation from study to study, the general consensus is that the mean human penis is somewhere between the range of 12.9 to 15 cm (5.1–5.9 in).

A 2015 systematic review (a study examining many other studies on the same topic) published in BJU International [1] gave the following numbers:

Mean flaccid length is 9.16 cm

Mean stretched non-erect length is 13.24 cm

Mean erect lengths is 13.2 cm

A mean flaccid circumference of 9.31 cm

Erect circumferences of 11.66 cm

Studies on Flaccid length
One study [2] has found the mean flaccid penis length to be 8.8 cm (3.5 inches) while a review of several studies [3] gives an average flaccid length of 9 - 10 cm (3.5 - 3.9 in). Since the length of the flaccid penis oftentimes doesn't correspond to the length of the erect penis, all experts agree that men shouldn't obsess with their flaccid size. Some small flaccid penises grow to become much longer (growers) while some larger flaccid penises grow very little (showers).

Average penis size by country
Dunno how reliable the numbers are
An infographic by the_digitalmonkey

Less fancy but more accurate infograph on the average penis sizeReferences in the bottom of the image

Studies on Erect Length

There are numerous studies on the erect length of adults. Many of them relied on self-measurement. All of them give a higher number than the true average length, especially those relying on Internet surveys. I have decided to omit those and include only studies which used medical staff and methods to obtain measurements:

A study [4] on eighty healthy males published in 1996 found an average erect penis length of 12.9 cm (5.1 in). The subjects were physically normal American men of varying ethnicity with an average age of 54. All erections were pharmacologically induced.

A study [5] published in 2000 found the average erect penis length in 50 Jewish Caucasian males to be 13.6 cm (5.4 in). Subjects were healthy and had an average age of 47. Erection was pharmacologically induced.

A review study [3] published in 2007 found the average erect penis length to range from 14 to 16 cm (5.5–6.3 in) and average erect girth to be 12 to 13 cm (4.7 - 5.1 in). The study compared the results of twelve studies conducted on different populations in several countries.

An Italian study on about 3,300 young Italian men found the stretched length (which is almost the same with erect length) to be about 12.5 cm (4.9 in). [6]

As you probably noticed, most of the studies above are based on different subgroups of the human population, for example a specific race or age. This could cause a sample bias. In my opinion, the study closest to a true average erect penile length is the systematic review published in 2015 [1].

Erect circumference

Reliable studies on erect circumference are limited. One study has found the average erect penis circumference in the middle of the shaft to be 4.8 inches (12.3 cm), which gives an average width of the erect penis of approximately 1.5 inches (4 cm). [7]

Where do you stand?
Still wondering where your penis stands compared to the rest of the world? Well, first make sure that you have properly measured it. After taking measurements, consider yourself to be:

Small if you are 9 to 12 cm

Average if your penis is 12-15 cm long

Big if you are anywhere from 16-19 cm

A job in the porn industry may be waiting for you if you are 20 cm or larger

If you found your penis to be less than 9 cm then you probably have a micropenis and should consult a specialist for further evaluation.

Unsatisfied with your penis size? Head over the penis enlargement section of the site to learn how you can make your little friend bigger!

Make sure to press the ruler over your pubic bone
for proper measurements!

Does penis size vary by race or ethinicity?
Well, according to some studies, yes penis size varies from race to race and ethnicity to ethnicity. For example this study found that newborns of Chinese origin have a smaller penis compared to newborn boys of Caucasian and East-Indian origin.

My penis is average or small and I am not happy with it. Is there anything I can do about it?
The short answer is yes, however the road to a bigger penis a long and adventurous one! Don't fall a victim to hype products promising you a bigger penis in a matter of hours or days! If you are really interested and willing to devote time, money and possible energy I suggest you to have a look over these clinical studies and articles:

2 comments
:

I am 54 years old my penis 6 to 6.5 inches long and 5 inches in girth I have made twin girls both very healthy I still masterbate every day and ejaculate just as I did in my teens my penis stays erect for over 4 hours during sex and I enjoy every minute of it hope others enjoy the same. thank you

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